Everyone is welcome to come along to our shed on Saturday 28th September to help raise awareness for Blue September and the work they do.

Every Saturday we run a event called #sausagesaturday.

Everyone is welcome to come along to our shed on Saturday 28th September to help raise awareness for Blue September and the work they do.

Bring a fiver and have a breakfast with us.

Blue September is an international campaign which aims to get men to 'face up to cancer'. In Ireland the campaign is focussed on raising awareness of and funds for prostate, testicular, lung and bowel cancer. The charities behind Blue September in Ireland are The Mercy Hospital Foundation, Cancer Care West and The Mater Foundation

The Ball's in your court - Face up to Men's Cancer !!

If cancer is detected in its early stages, the chances of beating the disease are increased. So why do so many men put off getting checked out? It may be that they are too embarrassed to go to the doctor or that they are not sure about what symptoms to look out for? Blue September sponsored by Vhi Healthcare aims to tackle this with a nationwide awareness and fundraising campaign highlighting male specific cancers. Throughout this coming September, through a variety of fun, daring and serious initiatives, Blue September will inform men about the specific cancers that affect them and motivate them to go to the doctor to get their man bits checked out. Kicking off on September 1st, Irish Comedians Dermot Whelan and Bernard O’Shea are on board to highlight the challenge which is ‘DARE TO GO BLUE’. For the month of September, challenge yourself or others to take part in a variety of daring feats, activities and challenges to promote the Blue September message and to raise much needed funds for the Blue September charity coalition; The Mater Foundation Dublin, Mercy Hospital Cancer Appeal and Cancer Care West. It’s a fact that more men develop cancer and die from the disease than women. Recent campaigns highlighting breast and cervical cancers have successfully educated women on the early cancer symptoms to look out for and this has contributed greatly to the rise in women’s cancer survival rates. Blue September sponsored by Vhi Healthcare aims to replicate this success and increase survival rates through an information and awareness programme in addition to fundraising for screening and treatment equipment. Over 3,000 men are diagnosed with cancer in Ireland each year. Early detection improves survival rates and Blue September aims to boost awareness among men of this disease. Dr. Bernadette Carr, Medical Director, Vhi Healthcare said “Vhi Healthcare is proud to sponsor Blue September and to support the fantastic work done by the Mercy Hospital Cancer Appeal, The Mater Foundation and Cancer Care West. We believe whole-heartedly that men need to face up to cancer and become more aware of the steps they can take to lessen their risk of developing cancer and how they can play a bigger role in its early detection.

Year on year, Vhi Healthcare is at the heart of provision of cancer care, ensuring our customers can benefit from the advances in medical technology and medication, which deliver the best outcomes. Last year alone we paid out over €213 million on cancer care. It is very encouraging to see that despite increasing prevalence of cancer in Ireland, survival rates are continuing to improve. This is due primarily to huge improvements in therapy and treatment. Increased awareness, earlier detection and access to screening facilities also contribute to more successful outcomes. At Vhi Healthcare we are hopeful that our partnership with Blue September will help this trend to continue and promote the need for ongoing awareness of key cancers amongst men.”

Last year, Vhi Healthcare paid out over €213 million on behalf of customers receiving treatment for Cancer. Almost 50% of those customers were men. Statistics provided by Vhi Healthcare on male cancer care activity in Ireland are as follows;

· In 2012 over €21.1 million was paid out by Vhi Healthcare to ensure that more than 2,200 men could receive urgent treatment for either prostate or testicular cancer.

· Prostate cancer is more prevalent than testicular cancer and accounted for 94% of male cancer claims, with testicular cancer making up the remainder of six per cent.

· Over 2,100 male Vhi Healthcare customers with prostate cancer were treated in 2012 – at a total cost of almost €20.6 million.

· In total Vhi Healthcare paid for almost 5,500 prostate cancer claims. Some 27 different types of high cost drug were used to treat prostate cancer in these men, with Vhi Healthcare paying nearly €600,000 on these drugs alone.

· At €270,000, the drug Taxotere (Docetaxel) accounted for more than 45% of Vhi Healthcare’s drug spend in the effective treatment of prostate cancer.

· Vhi Healthcare paid over €0.55 million in 2012 for the treatment of testicular cancer, on behalf of approximately 90 male customers.

First launched in New Zealand in 2008, Blue September has grown into an international fundraising and awareness campaign. This is its third year in Ireland and welcomes Vhi Healthcare as the campaign’s sponsor giving Blue September an exciting boost in its challenge of making Irish men face up to cancer.

Athy Mens Social Group will be re-opening on Tuesday 17th Sept at 7.30 in CKLP Woodstock Street (beside Amber Garage). The group is open to all men aged 18 and over. A programme of events is being organised for the following months starting next week. Further details on 083 3931291 or 059 8632277

"For the love of it "

A series of Mini documentaries produced and presented by Newbridge man Derek O’Halloran for Kfm Radio featuring Athy Men's Shed . Originally broadcast 3rd September 2013 on Clem Ryans morning show. . www.kfmradio.com